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Abstract
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To the editor:
In the USA alone, there were 1.7 million suicide attempts in 2021.1 Although the majority of suicide attempts are not fatal, immediate medical attention is often necessary, especially when violent methods are used.2 These methods include jumping from heights, using a firearm, crashing a motor vehicle, and lying down or jumping in front of a moving object.3
When a person survives a violent suicide attempt, they may become severely injured and in need of long-lasting rehabilitation with an uncertain outcome.3 Caring for these patients can be complicated. There is often an underlying psychiatric disorder that interferes with the somatic treatment. Additionally, brain damage is common, and the death wish may persist or even strengthen due to the added burden of physical pain and the fear or prospect of long-lasting disability.4
For a number of reasons, clinicians may have doubts about the value of continuing treatment, especially when a patient is unable to make informed treatment choices and clarify their wishes. In this ethical case report, we describe a violent suicide attempt and the subsequent medical discussion that arose about whether to stop life-saving treatment. Our aim is not to defend the decisions that were made but to use this experience to reflect on the complex decisions that occasionally have to be made after a violent suicide attempt and to identify factors that should be considered.
The patient's brother, his legal guardian, read this article and gave signed permission for this publication. ...
Language: en |